Phil Clements – ICJS FHSS Learning and Teaching Conference June 2010

1. Assessing for learning: A reflexive consideration of the design of innovative approaches to assessing student learning. Phil Clements – ICJS FHSS Learning and Teaching Conference June 2010

2. Outline • Underpinning Principles • Assessing for learning • UoP • Teachers conceptions of assessment • Things to think about • Designing out plagiarism • Designing in context • Design principles • Examples • ICJS experience

3. Underpinning Principles “Innovation in assessment is no longer an option in Higher Education” (Taras, 2002:501) “Making learning happen is not just about causing learning to happen – it’s about making learning being seen to have happened” (Race , 2005:66) “The spirit and style of student assessment defines the de facto curriculum” (Rowntree 1987:1) “Assessment includes but also transcends the simple measurement of student achievement” (Light, Cox and Calkins, 2009:201)

4. Some More Principles “The overriding consideration is that assessment is meaningful, does not overload staff or students and permits the provision of timely feedback” UoP Policy on Assessment Validity Reliability Transparency Authenticity

5. Teachers Conceptions of Assessment Assessment as internal to teaching and focuses on developing deep learning and sophisticated strategies for learning Awareness of an internal relationship between assessment and teaching but still see assessment as testing acquisition of basic knowledge Assessment seen as a separate process, external to teaching and learning, conveying to the teacher basic knowledge and skills Watkins et al (2005) cited in Light, Cox and Calkins (2005: 211)

6. Assessment as a driver for learning • Diversify assessment more • Make assessment fit for learning • Make assessment a high-learning payoff for students by making the most of feedback • Reduce the burden of assessment for learners and for ourselves • Assess evidence of what they have learned rather than what we tried to teach • Focus learning outcomes on the ‘need to know’ rather than the ‘nice to know’ and don’t measure what it’s ‘nuts to know’ • Measure ‘know how’ and ‘know why’ more than ‘know what’ • Involve learners in assessing their own and others work • Get the wording right. The student should not have to work out what the assessment means. (After Race 2005:93-94)

7. Assessment as a driver for learning (After Race 2005:93-94) Diversify assessment more Make assessment fit for learning Make assessment a high-learning payoff for students by making the most of feedback Reduce the burden of assessment for learners and for ourselves Assess evidence of what they have learned rather than what we tried to teach Focus learning outcomes on the ‘need to know’ rather than the ‘nice to know’ and don’t measure what it’s ‘nuts to know’ Measure ‘know how’ and ‘know why’ more than ‘know what’ Involve learners in assessing their own and others work Get the wording right. The student should not have to work out what the assessment means.

8. Assessment as a driver for learning (After Race 2005:93-94) Diversify assessment more Make assessment fit for learning Make assessment a high-learning payoff for students by making the most of feedback Reduce the burden of assessment for learners and for ourselves Assess evidence of what they have learned rather than what we tried to teach Focus learning outcomes on the ‘need to know’ rather than the ‘nice to know’ and don’t measure what it’s ‘nuts to know’ Measure ‘know how’ and ‘know why’ more than ‘know what’ Involve learners in assessing their own and others work Get the wording right. The student should not have to work out what the assessment means.

9. Assessment as a driver for learning (After Race 2005:93-94) Diversify assessment more Make assessment fit for learning Make assessment a high-learning payoff for students by making the most of feedback Reduce the burden of assessment for learners and for ourselves Assess evidence of what they have learned rather than what we tried to teach Focus learning outcomes on the ‘need to know’ rather than the ‘nice to know’ and don’t measure what it’s ‘nuts to know’ Measure ‘know how’ and ‘know why’ more than ‘know what’ Involve learners in assessing their own and others work Get the wording right. The student should not have to work out what the assessment means.

10. Issues to think about • Opportunity to ‘design-out’ plagiarism • Efficiency • Consider the context • Interesting for the student and the marker? • How does it relate to the learning outcomes? • Consider peer assessment • Employability skills Could you buy it or find it on the web? Same as last year? Make it specific to a context Offer choice Is the output worth the inputs? Is the workload reasonable for learner and marker? Work related = ideal What happens in the workplace? Motivation to learn Motivation to mark Centrality of learning outcomes Innovative assessment may begin with innovative learning outcomes Level 1 will need formative assessment Can we use peer assessment better? Not so much what we are testing but what are we helping them to learn?

11. Examination Essay Presentation Poster Oral Reports Common Examples Assessments

12. Specific Examples ICJS Examples Criminalistics witness statement PLC workbooks short answer exam Policing diversity speech PowerPoint briefings Law and legal skills plea in mitigation Workbook Essay

13. Creative Thinking Academic Judgement Cage? Framework? Concern for Learning

14. References Gipps, C. (1990) Assessment: A Teachers Guide to the Issues. London: Hodder and Stoughton. Harris, D. & Bell, C. (1990) Evaluating and Assessing for Learning. London: Kogan Page. Light, G.,Cox, R., & Calkins, S. (2009) Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: The Reflective Professional. London: Sage. Race, P. (2005) Making learning Happen: A Guide for Post-Compulsory Education. London: Sage. Rowntree, D. (1987) Assessing Students: How shall we know them?. London: Kogan Page. Taras, M. (2002). Using assessment for learning and learning from assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 27(6), 501-510. Yorke, M. (2003). Formative assessment in higher education: Moves towards theory and the enhancement of pedagogic practice. Higher Education, 45(4), 477-501.